Revival of this blog to a limited readership is probably not going to have very far-reaching consequences, but while I am writing, I thought I'd do a little bit more.
My return to writing - which was once a common free time past-time of mine - came with the realisation several days ago that November was here and with that, the Nanowrimo challenge. For those unfamiliar with Nanowrimo, a quick google search will bring you to their page: however, in short, the objective is to produce a novel of 50,000 words or more during the month of November.
The rules seem to have changed since my first attempt in 2009, but the basics remain. I dug out an old outline, which idea was conceived as far back as 2005, but which I had not much worked upon.
A few things have come to light for me since I have started writing again:
- the mere act of writing, mere writing, with no stops for re-reading or editing, etc. actually helps with the pursuit of the end of the story.
- after having written a thesis, which is infinitely more challenging, 50k words of fiction out of my head is pretty easy.
- my writing style and voice since 2005 has changed considerably and not necessarily for the better (although this is something that might have something to do with the stagnated status of my writing for some years.
Now although I did manage to succeed in reaching 50k words in my 2009 attempt, the story then was only probably about a third finished.
Unfortunately, for the life of someone who has too many hobbies and not enough time to pursue/enjoy them all properly (especially as working for necessary funds takes up quite a bit of life time),it is likely that many of those story/novel seeds will still sit unfertilised for some time to come. However, eventually they will be revisited. The greatest hope is that my continued exposure to life, humanity and and the world will leave me better able to render those seeds into something indeed.
Sunday, November 3, 2013
Saturday, August 11, 2012
Plants, Flowers and Paint
I think it was several years back, sitting in front of the tv before the news, that I saw a documentary about a young scientific illustrator in Australia. At the time, I thought, wow it'd be so great to be able to do that.
As a fleeting thought, I didn't really think too deeply about it or how I would pursue such a course, until I started painting in watercolours a few years ago.
It's not that I am particularly talented in any one area, but over the years, I have discovered that when I try my hand at anything, I tend not to be too bad at anything I do. But in the matter of excelling in any one thing, that's another matter. I learn quickly, that's all there is to it.
So it was a pleasant surprise to find that I'm not bad at creating pieces in watercolour and that I understand the principles important in painting in the medium so readily.
Botanical watercolour on the other hand is more scientific and a lot more rigid in its requirements. But having studied botany and due to my own propensities, I like plants and I like depicting plants. Having attended a few workshops in the subject now, I aspire to the work produced by the instructor, who is an international selling botanical artist and whose detail in her work is stunning.
I will continue with this course and the results will likely be displayed on my deviantart (link on the sidebar).
As a fleeting thought, I didn't really think too deeply about it or how I would pursue such a course, until I started painting in watercolours a few years ago.
It's not that I am particularly talented in any one area, but over the years, I have discovered that when I try my hand at anything, I tend not to be too bad at anything I do. But in the matter of excelling in any one thing, that's another matter. I learn quickly, that's all there is to it.
So it was a pleasant surprise to find that I'm not bad at creating pieces in watercolour and that I understand the principles important in painting in the medium so readily.
Botanical watercolour on the other hand is more scientific and a lot more rigid in its requirements. But having studied botany and due to my own propensities, I like plants and I like depicting plants. Having attended a few workshops in the subject now, I aspire to the work produced by the instructor, who is an international selling botanical artist and whose detail in her work is stunning.
I will continue with this course and the results will likely be displayed on my deviantart (link on the sidebar).
2011
Seeing as I had not updated my blog for ages. I just uploaded a bunch of items I had sitting around in draft form.
Just an update on the events and experiences of 2011:
1) Was working 4 jobs
2) Graduation from Uni
3) Attended 3 friends' weddings
4) Was constantly sick with one ailment or another
5) Been doing a fair amount of watercolour painting
6) Stopped going to kendo with the amount of time I was spending working or tired from working
7) Danced in the City of Sydney Chinese New Year Parade (Year of the Rabbit)
8) Road-trip to Brisbane, where I spent a lot of time painting
9) Trip to Canada (see other post)
9) Went to see Jersey Boys (see other post)
10) Started doing botanical watercolour painting (see other post)
Just an update on the events and experiences of 2011:
1) Was working 4 jobs
2) Graduation from Uni
3) Attended 3 friends' weddings
4) Was constantly sick with one ailment or another
5) Been doing a fair amount of watercolour painting
6) Stopped going to kendo with the amount of time I was spending working or tired from working
7) Danced in the City of Sydney Chinese New Year Parade (Year of the Rabbit)
8) Road-trip to Brisbane, where I spent a lot of time painting
9) Trip to Canada (see other post)
9) Went to see Jersey Boys (see other post)
10) Started doing botanical watercolour painting (see other post)
Canada 2011
So after wanting to go to Canada for years, I finally did in August 2011.
MISSUSAUGA / TORONTO
Stayed at my cousins' places over a week during an unusual heatwave. Actually it felt like normal summer weather if I were to be in Sydney.
My cousin drove me around, as Missusauga is not the best of cities to get around without a car. Ended up going to a whole pile of places around Toronto, Hamilton, Niagara-on-the-Lake, and to Niagara Falls.
It was fantastic to finally meet my family in Ontario, whom I'd never met before. Also fun to take my cousins around to places in Toronto that they had never been to before too lol.
The week was finished by a family barbecue... so much food.
SASKATOON
Met up with my bf, who had been shooting at the US Nationals and was in Saskatoon for the Canadian Nationals (archery), hence the reason for my trip to Canada in the first place.
Saskatoon is super flat. It was strange to see so much distance and horizon just about the place. The weather was mild, with temperatures very similar to autumn or spring in Sydney.
I spent a lot of the time in Saskatoon catching up on sleep and doing some painting as it was hard to get around the place without a vehicle. Went along to the final dinner and prize presentation of the Nationals. Canadians are like Australians in many ways, laid-back and somewhat quirky.
CALGARY
Stayed at my aunt and uncle's place. We drove around Calgary, going around the city and the museum/gallery there and visiting the Heritage Park, which was fun to walk around.
On the weekend, my cousin took us to Banff (hot springs and up the mountains) and the dinosaur museum in Drumheller. The hot spring experience was nice, but I was feeling a little unwell at that altitude, probably my asthma and lungs not deal with the thin air so well. Drumheller was fantastic - so many specimens on display, we just don't get dinosaurs that large in Australia.
I found, the weather in Calgary strange, with overnight temperatures dropping down to a few degrees and with daytime temperatures going up to the mid-twenties. I ended up having to buy a few long-sleeved shirts to deal with the changes.
VANCOUVER
Just a few days in Vancouver where we wandered around the city. Highlight was the trip to the markets at Granville Island. We had some excellent soup from the soup place there and duck fat fries... yum...
I see what people mean about the weather in Vancouver being similar to Melbourne, quite mild weather for summer.
Overall, it was a fun trip with plenty of food (always good), trips to places where I learnt a lot (love museums, galleries and old-style towns/villages) and meeting up with family. There are places in Canada I'd love to revisit and places I've yet to see. One day again...
MISSUSAUGA / TORONTO
Stayed at my cousins' places over a week during an unusual heatwave. Actually it felt like normal summer weather if I were to be in Sydney.
My cousin drove me around, as Missusauga is not the best of cities to get around without a car. Ended up going to a whole pile of places around Toronto, Hamilton, Niagara-on-the-Lake, and to Niagara Falls.
It was fantastic to finally meet my family in Ontario, whom I'd never met before. Also fun to take my cousins around to places in Toronto that they had never been to before too lol.
The week was finished by a family barbecue... so much food.
SASKATOON
Met up with my bf, who had been shooting at the US Nationals and was in Saskatoon for the Canadian Nationals (archery), hence the reason for my trip to Canada in the first place.
Saskatoon is super flat. It was strange to see so much distance and horizon just about the place. The weather was mild, with temperatures very similar to autumn or spring in Sydney.
I spent a lot of the time in Saskatoon catching up on sleep and doing some painting as it was hard to get around the place without a vehicle. Went along to the final dinner and prize presentation of the Nationals. Canadians are like Australians in many ways, laid-back and somewhat quirky.
CALGARY
Stayed at my aunt and uncle's place. We drove around Calgary, going around the city and the museum/gallery there and visiting the Heritage Park, which was fun to walk around.
On the weekend, my cousin took us to Banff (hot springs and up the mountains) and the dinosaur museum in Drumheller. The hot spring experience was nice, but I was feeling a little unwell at that altitude, probably my asthma and lungs not deal with the thin air so well. Drumheller was fantastic - so many specimens on display, we just don't get dinosaurs that large in Australia.
I found, the weather in Calgary strange, with overnight temperatures dropping down to a few degrees and with daytime temperatures going up to the mid-twenties. I ended up having to buy a few long-sleeved shirts to deal with the changes.
VANCOUVER
Just a few days in Vancouver where we wandered around the city. Highlight was the trip to the markets at Granville Island. We had some excellent soup from the soup place there and duck fat fries... yum...
I see what people mean about the weather in Vancouver being similar to Melbourne, quite mild weather for summer.
Overall, it was a fun trip with plenty of food (always good), trips to places where I learnt a lot (love museums, galleries and old-style towns/villages) and meeting up with family. There are places in Canada I'd love to revisit and places I've yet to see. One day again...
Jersey Boys
30 June 2011
Critically acclaimed musical about Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons, at the State Theatre, Sydney.
Seats were in the middle of the third or fourth row. Came into this one without much preconception of how it would be, apart from knowing that everyone I had heard speak about it had said it was excellent.
The show didn't disappoint. Lots of singing, drama and laughs. Quite a few familiar songs and there was a good sense of the times and personalities of the characters. It was interesting that they used herb cigarettes during the performance.
Loved the climatic number with the brass band "Can't Take My Eyes Off You".
Of the musicals I've seen, the ones I would see again would be this one, Billy Elliot and Les Misérables.
Critically acclaimed musical about Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons, at the State Theatre, Sydney.
Seats were in the middle of the third or fourth row. Came into this one without much preconception of how it would be, apart from knowing that everyone I had heard speak about it had said it was excellent.
The show didn't disappoint. Lots of singing, drama and laughs. Quite a few familiar songs and there was a good sense of the times and personalities of the characters. It was interesting that they used herb cigarettes during the performance.
Loved the climatic number with the brass band "Can't Take My Eyes Off You".
Of the musicals I've seen, the ones I would see again would be this one, Billy Elliot and Les Misérables.
Post-Uni Life
December 2010
After almost two decades being a student without pause, it was with slight trepidation that found myself
facting the end of that path a few months ago. I had submitted my thesis and had only to await the results to know if I had completed my degrees. And I did. Finally.
After almost two decades being a student without pause, it was with slight trepidation that found myself
facting the end of that path a few months ago. I had submitted my thesis and had only to await the results to know if I had completed my degrees. And I did. Finally.
Meanwhile, I managed to secure myself another job to add to my collection. Some people might say that working as many as I do is too much, but when they are all basically shift work, it appears different. Or at least, living it from the inside obviously feels different to how it might appear. I'm slowly settling into this rather odd lifestyle, one that is at once slightly frustrating in its lack of certainty and yet also seems to suit me.
These past few years have at times boggled my mind.
Nutcracker - Imperial Russian Ballet
December 2010
At the State Theatre, Sydney.
At the State Theatre, Sydney.
It was interesting to find that a fair amount of acting needs to go into a ballet production, considering that the dancers would have spent most of their lives practicing the dancing, not the acting. I suppose it comes with the need to put on a believable performance.
The costumes were elaborate and there was plenty to watch and interpret, quite different to my usual choice of going to see musical theatre, which I still find I do prefer.
Our seats were quite far back in the stalls, but in the centre. However, I don't feel that we missed too much, as the State Theatre is not as large as e.g. the Capitol.
I think that I wouldn't mind seeing more ballet productions in the future, but not as frequently as musicals, only because I don't understand it as well in some senses.
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